


Wotanskind

by DarthKrande



Category: Der Ring des Nibelungen | The Ring of the Nibelung - Wagner
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:13:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23878210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthKrande/pseuds/DarthKrande
Summary: Brünnhilde takes charge.
Kudos: 2





	Wotanskind

„Hurry, Grane, we need to catch up with Fricka's rams!"

As if he'd felt the mood of his rider, the Valkyrie's stallion didn't appear particularly inclined to meet the mistress of Walhalla, but he sped up nevertheless. Brünnhilde herself wasn't astonished by the prospect of talking with her father's spouse, but duty was duty. Her alternative would have been betraying her own half-brother, or even worse – forcing Wotan into killing his own child. She wasn't about to let that crime happen! Even if it meant open confrontation with someone whom she (mutually) disliked.

When the goddess spotted her, she gloatingly stopped. "Do you come to plea for the spawn's life?"

Well, not exactly, but right now Fricka didn't need to hear her true reasons for coming.

"Please, Goddess of all that's right, think this through. Siegmund is needed for the Allfather's plans."

"Except he is not!" Fricka replied. "He's unruly and unreliable, much like the father of you both. What he has done and continues doing disgusts me to no end. "

"Would you rather have him in Walhall? That is where he'd be delivered before the sun's up again."

"Among with the other servants, yes. That's his place! He would learn respect. "

'Like father, yes,' Brünnhilde thought with sarcasm. If she knew one thing about Siegmund, it wasn't his inclination for respecting the rules of a random goddess. But instead of pointing this fact out, she continued reasoning.

"Only a live hero can take back the gold from Fafner. Have you not longed for all the adorning jewelry ?"

When Fricka didn't immediately reply, the Valkyrie dismounted. " The hoard also includes a ring that Father has been longing for before even the mighty Walhalla had been built. But to win it at that time, he would have needed to give you up for the gold."

"There will be some other man to kill Fafner for the treasure. Glory shall avoid Siegmund and any other abominations born of Wotan's unchecked errands."

"Do you not want him to get the ring?"

" Listen, warrior-girl. Siegmund abused his guest rights and ran away with his own sister. Horrible incest! Hunding asked for my interference, and I will gladly support his rightful demand!"

"Because he and Sieglinde are married?"

"And because marriage is sacred!" Fricka shot back.

" Walhall was built with Freya as the promised payment. Would you have just as gladly supported the giants' rightful demand for her? Would you have taken their side if it came to that, or would you have rather helped one of your brothers to rescue your sister from them?"

"Don't compare a mortal's situation to ours! " Fricka spat. "I see through you, Wotan's daughter. The decision is final: whatever happens, you must ensure Hunding's victory!"

With that, she sprang her whip at the timid sheep, and drove away, leaving the Valkyrie alone with nothing but her trusty mount. Grane rested his head on the warmaiden's shoulder.

Bünnhilde wasn't as disappointed as her stepmother was hoping for her to be. Although the discussion could have gone better, she'd reached her main goal. After all, she wasn't the daughter of the wisest woman on earth for nothing.

"Come, my steed. Let's see how far the Wälsungs have gotten by now. You don't need to hurry.

* * *

A thick mist of fog covered the morning forest. Sieglinde insisted on the Wälsung couple heading on, into the safety of the uncharted wilderness, and nobody had stopped them on their way. From bears and wolves Notung could protect them, and Hunding's dogs had lost their scent in the moist atmosphere rather soon.

Brünnhil d e observed the couple from afar, fondly looking at her escaping half-siblings. They were Wotan's hope, and hope should live on even when the lord of gods himself had been forced to decide against it. She didn't stop them to talk to Siegmund, and she dearly hoped that said talk wouldn't have been necessary.

That thick fog was suspicious, however. Had maybe Donner or Froh taken the side of the refugees? If so, the culprit would be kicked out from Walhalla, or so she suspected.

The sun rose to find a still raging Hunding, lost in the depth of the wild forest.

" Hey, you! Lowly creature, have you seen a wounded man and a woman coming this way?"

The Nibelung he happened across stared at him, possibilities running through his coal-strained head. It didn't take a genius to realize why the warrior was asking.

"A man, and a woman not much younger..."

"Yes! They have the same wild fire in their eyes..."

"The same wild fire in their eyes! " the tiny creature confirmed. Now he had to see if this stranger passing his hut was scaredy. " Like that of a dragon!"

"That's them, the accursed pair! You've seen them! Which way did they go?"

The tiny Nibelung, who had only come out of the safety of his den to collect firewood for his forge but spotted the opportunity Hunding had presented, now nodded with floppy ears. " South from here, can you see that rock?" (No, in the fog there was no rock to see, but this didn't bother Hunding .) "They were headed the rock's way. There's a lake by which most wanderers take rest, perhaps you could catch up with them there."

Hunding gruffly thanked for the help and stormed on in that direction. Little did he care that the tiny smith was following him from a safe distance. And even if he had taken note, he wouldn't have thought that Mime was dogging him in the hopes of being the first to reach the scene after Fafner's supposed death. And what risk did the Nibelung take? At worst, the trespasser would be eaten by the dragon. It served him well, in the opinion of the tiny smith.

* * *

It was still easier task than following Fricka's original command would have been, or so the Valkyrie was telling herself. One hour into the duel, she definitely came to doubt her own cunning idea, and as time passed, she wondered that maybe letting Hunding and Siegmund sort it out among themselves would have been wiser.

Hunding was a brave warrior of the mortal-kind, but he wasn't made for dragon-slaying and neither were his weapons. His spear had long since been bitten in half by Fafner's sharp and numerous teeth, his sword had been shattered by the enormous dragon-tail, and the man himself would have been crushed several times if not for the Valkyrie dutifully shielding him every time. Yet Hunding was not about to give up. When Fafner had ambushed him in the hopes of an early breakfast, the mortal had thrown all his bitterness and rage at the enormous monster, and even after a whole night's walk, adrenaline pushed him blindly into the duel. At times Brünnhilde had the impression that she was more exhausted than the man.

Blocking yet another bite with her shield and her cape getting another splash of acidy dragon-spit, the warmaiden seriously considered giving up, and, despite clear orders from both Fricka and Wotan, abandoning the worthless Hunding in this fight. She was done with her pride, done with accepting the possible shame. This just wasn't a duel which Hunding could have won.

But then, unforeseeably, the just as exhausted Fafner made a grave mistake. He grabbed the mortal with his forepaw- dragonhand, lifted him to his mouth... And, when his teeth slipped on the Valkyrie's sturdy shield, he bit off his own hand. With a loud roaring cry, the beast then retreated to his cave, where the (just as exhausted) Hunding blessedly didn't follow.

Brünnhilde collapsed in front of Neidhöhle, speechlessly panting. Grane stood above her, shielding her and offering some moral support. Hunding the still-not- dragonslayer had felt the dragon's burning blood splashed on his beaten armor and bruised skin, and without hesitation, headed straight into the shallow lake to wash everything off.

He was still bathing when he spotted the approaching Mime. His rage and strength returning, he climbed out of the water. "You! I was asking the whereabouts of my wife, and you directed me to a dragon!"

"Isn't it the same thing? " Mime asked in a carelessly mocking voice. Those were his last words before Hunding strangled him.

This not being an actual battle, Brünnhilde only cracked an eye open before falling back to sleep. She'd deserved some rest, she believed. What would come to Fafner now? Would he die of exhaustion? Would he bleed out? Would he maybe recover, or remember that he's still wearing the Tarnhelm with which he can change his body into that of a full and complete dragon again? And if the dragon dies, would the fragile lady be expected to drag him all the way to Walhall, or would she at least get some backup? Thinking about that, she wondered how the giant would take to being a guest in the very castle he had built and killed his own brother for its price. Maybe not so well. She'd definitely wait for backup, she decided. Nine Valkyries together would have more chance to succeed in the transport of the giant. She'd already seen one of her father's ravens fly away with the news, at least she didn't have to worry about this chore.

"Mother, Erda, may I spend the day in your realm?" she quietly pleaded. Slowly she sank into the ground along with her horse. She hoped at least Fricka would be happy with the husband's victory.

Hunding threw down the broken-necked corpse of the Nibelung, and immediately two of his hounds were on it. At least THESE were loyal, even if they had lost the trace of Wehwalt and Sieglinde. Looking around, he found the torn shreds of another creature similar to the unhelpful smith. Apparently, while he had been fighting the dragon, the hounds had come across this forest-dweller that had been lurking near the dragon's cave.

Taking stock of his surroundings, he also found the bit-off fore of the dragon, and upon closer inspection, he noticed a piece of golden jewelry on one clawed finger. With his only remaining dagger, he got it off the paw, carefully avoiding the burning dragonblood this time.

" The mockery of a husband's fate!" he yelled, lifting up the Ring between his thumb and index finger. "I lost my wife, and in return, this is what I get. So be it! No jewelry on the face of Earth can be as treacherous as a woman, and this I choose instead of feeble spousal loyalty! Let the forest and the lake hear my voice: accursed be love!"

The second raven took off from its perch and flew to Wotan in a panic.

To the old trouble, he had the new one. Wotan still vividly remembered how much terror a dwarf could bring in the space of mere hours to his own kind. Hunding and Fricka's allegiance didn't bode well. It would be better to act while he still could, he decided.

As he had heard, before his death Alberich had forced himself on a mortal queen, Grimhild, the wife of Gibich. The Nibelung-spawn was now being raised along with two of the king's own children. Maybe where three can grow up, there'd be a place for a fourth child. After Fricka had forced him to abandon the Wälsungs, this was a necessity. He would do it only for the benefit of the entire world.

* * *

"Who could live here?"

"Dearest Sister, I don't know. But recently I got lucky when collapsing by a stranger's fire."

" Oh, Siegmund! Do you think there's another settlement nearby? I never heard it mentioned. "

The twin couple had taken shelter in a forest hut they've found. It was small, more like a den, really, but it appeared safe and it was neatly stocked with firewood. Its owner had yet to show up.

"For all I can tell, it's a loner's refuge, far from the world," Siegmund stated. " Perhaps a swordsmith's? I can go hunting tomorrow, and you will be safe to do whatever you feel like. Hunding will never find us here!"

Sieglinde observed the one, tiny bed. They'd spent the previous nights on the floor near the fireplace, but if they would settle here for longer, then they'd need to construct proper beds for themselves. "Do you think this could be a suitable place for a child?" she asked, not so theoretically.


End file.
